Helpful – You’ll take-away practical advice that will help you get better at what you do.

We rate each piece of content on a scale of 1–10 with regard to these two core criteria. Our rating helps you sort the titles on your reading list from adequate (5) to brilliant (10). Books we rate below 5 won’t be summarized. Here's what the ratings mean:

5 –Solid. A helpful and/or enlightening book, inspite of its obvious shortcomings. For instance, it may be offer decent advice in some areas but be repetitive or unremarkable in others.
6 – Notable. A helpful and/or enlightening book that stands out by at least one aspect, e.g. is particularly well structured.
7 – Good. A helpful and/or enlightening book that combines two or more noteworthy strengths, e.g. contains uncommonly novel ideas and presents them in an engaging manner.
8 – Very good. A helpful and/or enlightening book that has a substantial number of outstanding qualities without excelling across the board, e.g. presents the latest findings in a topical field and is written by a renowned expert but lacks a bit in style.
9 – Superb. A helpful and/or enlightening book that is extremely well rounded, has many strengths and no shortcomings worth mentioning.
10 – Brilliant. A helpful and/or enlightening book that, in addition to meeting the highest standards in all pertinent aspects, stands out even among the best. Often an instant classic and must-read for everyone.
While the rating tells you how good a book is according to our two core criteria, it says nothing about its particular defining features. Therefore, we use a set of 20 qualities to characterize each book by its strengths:

Applicable – You’ll get advice that can be directly applied in the workplace or in everyday situations.Analytical – You’ll understand the inner workings of the subject matter.Background – You’ll get contextual knowledge as a frame for informed action or analysis.Bold – You’ll find arguments that may break with predominant views.Comprehensive – You’ll find every aspect of the subject matter covered.Concrete Examples – You’ll get practical advice illustrated with examples of real-world applications or anecdotes.Eloquent – You’ll enjoy a masterfully written or presented text.Engaging – You’ll read or watch this all the way through the end.Eye opening – You’ll be offered highly surprising insights.For beginners – You’ll find this to be a good primer if you’re a learner with little or no prior experience/knowledge.For experts – You’ll get the higher-level knowledge/instructions you need as an expert.Hot Topic – You’ll find yourself in the middle of a highly debated issue.Innovative – You can expect some truly fresh ideas and insights on brand-new products or trends.Insider’s take – You’ll have the privilege of learning from someone who knows her or his topic inside-out.Inspiring – You’ll want to put into practice what you’ve read immediately.Overview – You’ll get a broad treatment of the subject matter, mentioning all its major aspects.Scientific – You’ll get facts and figures grounded in scientific research.Visionary – You’ll get a glimpse of the future and what it might mean for you.Well structured – You’ll find this to be particularly well organized to support its reception or application.

*getAbstract is summarizing much more than books. We look at every kind of content that may matter to our audience: books, but also articles, reports, videos and podcasts. What we say here about books applies to all formats we cover.

Qualities

Controversial

Overview

Visionary

Recommendation

While many people today take the US-led liberal world order for granted, historically, the post-World War II period of international cooperation is an exception, not the rule. And, if recent trends – including Donald Trump’s unapologetically nationalistic rhetoric – are any indication, a return to the “old normal” is very possible. Robert Kagan is a historian and foreign policy commentator. getAbstract recommends his opening speech at the German Marshall Fund’s Brussels Forum to those who would like to understand why the liberal world order is unique and worthy of preservation.

About the Speaker

Robert Kagan is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, an author and a Washington Post columnist.

Summary

The Liberal World Order that emerged following World War II is an anomaly. This post-war era’s unprecedented lack of “great power” conflict – coupled with a worldwide spread of democracy and economic prosperity – is without equal in any previous period of recorded history. Some claim the success of the liberal international order is a sign that humanity itself has evolved: that humans have no reason to pursue illogical ends and enact violence once their fundamental rights and freedoms are guaranteed. But these end-of-history arguments fail to acknowledge the complexity of human nature. They ignore the intrinsic...